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Aston Martin Vantage Breaks Down in Floodwaters, Internet Nicknames Driver ‘James Pond’
Deepa Krishnaswamy | June 30, 2026 6:14 PM CST

The phrase “License to Stall” has taken on new meaning after an Aston Martin Vantage owner attempted to drive through a flooded street, only to find himself stranded midway. As expected, the internet quickly filled with James Bond-inspired jokes, dubbing the unlucky motorist “James Pond.” Unfortunately, the repair bill for this escapade is unlikely to bring much amusement.


In a video shared online, the driver can be seen cautiously entering a flooded stretch of road where the water level appears to be nearly a foot deep. Considering that the Aston Martin Vantage has a ground clearance of just 94 millimetres (3.7 inches) and lacks any snorkel or off-road adaptations, the outcome was rather predictable.


As the car proceeded, the 670-horsepower twin-turbocharged V8 engine began to falter approximately halfway through the waterlogged section. Moments later, the vehicle stalled completely and came to a standstill in the middle of the flood. The visibly annoyed driver stepped out, seemingly disappointed that his Vantage had failed him—though in truth, it was the driver who had misjudged the situation. During a phone call captured in the footage, he can be heard saying, “It obviously got into the engine; it just didn’t look that deep.” He then returned to the car, lifted the bonnet, and inspected the engine bay.


Driving through flooded roads is always a risky affair, and this particular Aston Martin owner learned that lesson the hard way. If the Vantage had been equipped with the amphibious technology from James Bond’s Lotus Esprit in The Spy Who Loved Me, the story might have ended quite differently. Instead, it concluded with a disabled Vantage, an expensive repair tab, and a nickname that will likely follow the owner for a long time to come.


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